Capital G

Album: Year Zero (2007)
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Songfacts®:

  • This song deals with corruption and greed, with several stabs at US president George W. Bush. The song looks at how complicit the American people behaved when Bush started the war in Iraq ("He pushed a button and it dropped a bomb, you pushed a button and could watch it on the television") and ignored global warming ("Ain't gonna worry bout no future generations").

Comments: 11

  • Dj from California“Now I’m on my hands and knees” why would he ever do that for George Bush or any other mortal? “Trading my god (false idol imo) for this one who signs his name with a capital G”. I truly believe he’s referring to THE god and it’s almost that simple and if that wasn’t the message then I still think him and every other person will come back to god regardless. When I say it isn’t that simple is because god did come back to earth and that was definitely Jesus. No other religion would care to even mention his existence if he didn’t matter and was just a martyr.
  • Mcgee from MaCapital G also refers to the freemasons who are running the show,as well as govt.imho.
  • Jeremy from NyI love your comments and appreciate all of them, I personally felt like the "G" was about God but now feel like it was thought of as "Greed", that makes more sense. Trent doesn't seem to have a problem with said "God," but greed, indeed, and if one feels George Bush is the "G," then that is still an aspect of the concept of greed. God is jealous, but not greedy.
  • AnonymousCapital G is a metaphor for God, George W and big government. Trent is clever like that
  • Cruth from Neptune Beach The G does not stand for President George Bush it stands for big government.
  • Angela from Cartersville, Gai really like this song i think the reznor really knows what is going on in the world and was preatty smart to write about it. so keep on rock in to the music. and reznor keep writing trye songs!!
  • Duncan from Boaz, AlThe "you" refers to the general public, being apethetic and voting in the new "God" aka president. The song mainly says that we as a people are taking almost anyone who says that they are in God's will as being amazing and good, and all opposed as being evil. It exposes that, under that system, our rights can be abused. the "capital G" refers to the self absorbtion of the subject.
  • Ryan from Suffern, NyIt must be about God. If you notice in the lyrics, he refers to "You" all the time. Meaning it could be God talking because he gives us free will. "you push the button and elected him to office" "i used to stand for something, but forgot what that could be" the constant grow of new religions give people new ideas of what God wants and stands for
  • Jayna from Katy, TxActually, i highly doubt its about president George Bush. The Year Zero CD is set 15 years or so in the future, as Trent Reznor stated in some of his interviews. Bush wont be president then.

    This is my own personal opinion, though. And i could be wrong.
  • Owen from Syracuse, NyI always thought that the 'G' in the song standed for 'George' as in 'George W. Bush'

  • J from L, CoReznor claimed the 'G' in this song stands for 'Greed', although others interpret it to also mean 'Government' and 'God' as well.
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